3 ms·
With modern electronics, wouldn't it be possible to build a device that detects bugs using some type scanner (radar or whatever) and zaps them with a microwave
by svantana 1y ago
With modern electronics, wouldn't it be possible to build a device that detects bugs using some type scanner (radar or whatever) and zaps them with a microwave laser? That seems like it could be 100x more efficient than this solution.
- mbreese 1y agoThe Gates foundation funded research into just such a device. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mosquito_laser https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mosquito_laser
- xnx 1y ago"Laser-wielding device is like an anti-aircraft system for mosquitoes" https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=44478171 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=44478171
- hedgehog 1y agoAccording to the Indiegogo campaign they are expecting to retail these for US$900. https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/worlds-first-portable-mosquito-air-defense https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/worlds-first-portable-mos...
- lambdaone 1y agoBuckets of bacterial muck sound a lot more efficient and environmentally friendly than expensive high-tech devices that need to be powered and maintained. And buckets are unlikely to blind anyone if their safety system fails.
- svantana 1y agoInteresting, I had the opposite idea, where the bacterial solution seems destined to give rise to resistant mosquitos and god knows what other unintended side effects. The energy needed to kill a mosquito shouldn't be more than a joule or so, and regarding blinding, I suggested the microwave spectrum specifically to avoid that problem.
- tim333 1y agoPeople have made prototypes but I think there may be hazzard if it gets your retina rather than a bug. There was an interesting idea the other day for a mini drone that bashes them with its prop - top comment here https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=44702833 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=44702833